1. STEPS IN A RECONSIDERATION PROCESS: The book has been criticized. The patron has filled out a "Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Material" and turned it into the principal. What happens next? List the steps this reconsideration process will take. Search through the databases (Library Lit, for example) or the Web and list the steps that a reconsideration process would take. Identify each step, who is involved, and how does the process go to the next step until there is some kind of resolution. (10 points).
Review committee will be formed to review the "Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Material." Committee should include the principal, library media specialist, two building teachers, non-involved parent. (Bentonville)
Committee will read all available text (including full text) and reviews of material in question prior to discussing. (Newton)
Committee will notify the complaintant within two weeks of the results, including copies of district policies and statements. (Newton and ALA)
The complaintant may file an appeal with the curriculum director, who will review the original complaint and the decison made by the reveiw committee. (Melrose)
If still unsatisfied, the complaintant may file an appeal with the superintendent, who will review all previous complaints and decisions. The superintendents decision is final. (Melrose)
2. ORGANIZATIONS: These are some high profile organizations that take a strong stand on what students should or should not be able to view and read. You want to educate yourself about some of the bigger names nationally and locally who get involved with students' right-to-read issues. Keeping Controversial Titles
This is a general web site that covers all areas of freedom. The slogan "Because Freedom Can't Protect Itself" was one of the first things to make me believe that this site was for allowing access to more controversial books. When I searched "censorship," I found many articles in support of events such as "Banned Books Week" and against censorship. This organization obviously wants to protect the rights of U.S. citizens as individuals on many key issues, from religion to education to lifestyle choices.
This organization is obviously for protecting intellectual freedom from its name and responsibilities: "The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries." Obviously this organization strives to promote all literature and intellectual freedoms. I found links to information on "Banned Books Week." The toolkits that they provide links to are also very helpful.
One quote that I found very powerful on the "Banned Books Week" link is, "Imagine how many more books might be challenged-and possibly banned or restricted-if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society."
This organization provides resources and support for those trying to support intellectual property, especially in the digital world. I was impressed by all of the legal cases that were documented on the site, especially those that they have participated in against the government and large corporations in order to defend the rights and freedoms of the public.
Its name says it all! This organization is completely against censorship. It is very apparent through its name, website, and slogan: "...promoting freedom of thought, inquiry and expression and opposing censorship in all forms." I found it interesting that this was a coalition of 52 different agencies who fight to protect intellectual freedom and free expression through a variety of ways, advocacy efforts, and support networks.
The links on the issues tab of this site provides a lot of information about what this organization stands for: "Equality for All, Freedom of Speech, Fair and Just Courts," to name a few. I found their mission quite interesting, especially the final paragraph: "Our operational mission is to promote the American Way and defend it from attack, to build and nurture communities of support for our values, and to equip those communities to promote progressive policies, elect progressive candidates, and hold public officials accountable." It seems that this organization tends to be a little more involved in politics than some of the others I have viewed.
This organization is a Christian ministy which is pro-family and its goal is to promote morality in American culture. It is very much based on Christian faith. I found it quite humorous that its number one goal is to "restrain evil by exposing the works of darkness." (The very negative wording caught me off guard throughout the site.) I was surprised to find out that the organization operates over 200 radio stations throughout the United States and to see its promotion of the boycott of Home Depot in a variety of spots on its site.
This organization of parents stricly focuses on the promotion of "literary standards in schools." The front page of the site focuses on portraying literature as very negative and vulgar. There is a list of poor literary choices, but it does not offer alternatives. It does seem to be an older site that isn't maintained (copyright 2004/2005) and I wonder what the status of this organization is now. I did find this key statement on the "About Us" page: "No one knows or loves your child quite as much as you do. Being informed about this content helps you to make the best educational decisions for your own child." I think this is an action that all parents need to take and be proactive in their child's education and choices, teaching the children how to make good choices for themselves.
Again, this is a pro-family website. This organization seems to be very involved in making changes through legistlation. Much of the informaiton seems to be based on Phyllis Schlafly's beliefs and ideas. I found the emphasis on a woman as a homemaker as appalling. I highly commend those who make this their full time profession, but that doesn't mean that the rest of us aren't doing honorable things by choosing a profession outside of the home.
Another organization based on Chrisitan faith. I was familiar with this organization and figuring out where it goes on the spectrum did not surprise me at all. The entire site is pro-family and stresses strong morals. It was not nearly as negative as some other sites, but instead it promotoed Christian faith and morals. While I was searching the site to see if it had any specifics on censorship, I ran across a series of articles under the "Schooling" heading entitled "Help Your Child Succeed in Public School." Right away I was put on the defensive about that. I do have a Christian faith, but I also feel that the way the article was titled greatly puts down the public education system.
The url for this site (www.teachclean.com) says a lot. This Web site did not look professional in any way, shape or form. I clicked on "What's in the Books?" and was taken to a page where the heading states "School Library Porn in Arkansas." I found lots of excerpts from books and the description on all of them was "SHOCKING." I did find a disclaimer on the front page that states, "Our objective is not to remove any books from the library, it is simply to enforce our parental rights to choose for our children." This seems to contradict the informaiton I saw on the other pages.
One thing that I found on a PowerPoint after digging (quite a bit) into this website was that this organization supports a rating system similar to that for movies and tv shows. This could help students make informed decisions on what they are reading and warn those who are morally against certain types of books. I think that this group might have it right. So many of the other ones go to extremes as far as their action, where at least this group has come up with a minimally intrusive solution. I also think that it is important that this group is trying to balance everyone's rights, not just their own.
3. POLICY HIGH POINTS: Following are the selection policies from two school districts that have dealt repeatedly and publicly with citizen’s request issues. Read through the policies and list five important features from each district that strike you as important are points that you want to make sure your district’s policy includes. Tell me briefly why you selected this section to be added to your own policy. (10 points)
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Established list of selection criteria- having this might eliminate some problems before they even arise.
"Parent Preview" of materials- give parents the chance to come into the school to see the types of books that are available. This would help parents to be more proactive, rather than reactive. I think this is good at all levels.
Having a committee to review challenges- gives others in the school a say in what is available. Also keeps the librarian from being negatively singled out if the book remains available.
Library Council- having a council that meets regularly to coordinate efforts across the district is a great idea. This might also help prevent problems from arising.
Documentation- I think this is vital for the process to run smoothly. This way everyone involved in the decision making process has the same information available.
Student Involvement- many high school students are capable of knowing what the feel is personally appropriate or inappropriate. I think that giviing them the opprotunity to stand up for their own personal beliefs is key in making them responsible adults and citizens. (Granted not all kids at all ages are capable of these types of decisions.)
Reviews and Recommendations- I think that being able to back up choices with reviews and recommendations will support decisions made by the LMS.
Alternative selections- having a list of alternative reading assignments, especially at the high school level, would probably save a lot of stress down the road if conflict does arise.
School level review and district level review committees having different members- if there is an appeal, this allows the work to get a fresh look from all participating groups. Previous biases/ideas will not be determining factors in the appeal.
Agenda- having and keeping to an agenda will provide structure for the review and keep everyone involved on a schedule.
American Library Association. Workbook for Selection Policy Writing. 2011. Web. 6 November 2011. <
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=dealing&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=11173>
Bentonville School District. School Library Materials Selection Procedure. Bentonville School District, 16 July 2007. Web. 6 November 2011. <http://bentonvillek12.org/web/parents/downloads/handbooks/library_procedures.pdf>
Newton Public Schools. Library Materials Selection and Adoption Policy: Procedures and Regulations. 1 June 2006. Web. 7 November 2011. <http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/libraries/documents/selection_policy.pdf>
Melrose Public Schools. Procedures for Reconsideration of Library/Resource Center Materials. Web. 7 November 2011. <http://www.melroseschools.com/msc/pp/Library_Challenge_Procedures_and_Reconsideration_Form.pdf>
2. ORGANIZATIONS: These are some high profile organizations that take a strong stand on what students should or should not be able to view and read. You want to educate yourself about some of the bigger names nationally and locally who get involved with students' right-to-read issues.
Keeping Controversial Titles
- American Civil Liberties Union - http://www.aclu.org\
This is a general web site that covers all areas of freedom. The slogan "Because Freedom Can't Protect Itself" was one of the first things to make me believe that this site was for allowing access to more controversial books. When I searched "censorship," I found many articles in support of events such as "Banned Books Week" and against censorship. This organization obviously wants to protect the rights of U.S. citizens as individuals on many key issues, from religion to education to lifestyle choices.- American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom - http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/index.cfm
This organization is obviously for protecting intellectual freedom from its name and responsibilities: "The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries." Obviously this organization strives to promote all literature and intellectual freedoms. I found links to information on "Banned Books Week." The toolkits that they provide links to are also very helpful.One quote that I found very powerful on the "Banned Books Week" link is, "Imagine how many more books might be challenged-and possibly banned or restricted-if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society."
- Electronic Frontier Foundation - http://www.eff.org/
This organization provides resources and support for those trying to support intellectual property, especially in the digital world. I was impressed by all of the legal cases that were documented on the site, especially those that they have participated in against the government and large corporations in order to defend the rights and freedoms of the public.- National Coalition Against Censorship - http://www.ncac.org/
Its name says it all! This organization is completely against censorship. It is very apparent through its name, website, and slogan: "...promoting freedom of thought, inquiry and expression and opposing censorship in all forms." I found it interesting that this was a coalition of 52 different agencies who fight to protect intellectual freedom and free expression through a variety of ways, advocacy efforts, and support networks.- People for the American Way - http://www.pfaw.org
The links on the issues tab of this site provides a lot of information about what this organization stands for: "Equality for All, Freedom of Speech, Fair and Just Courts," to name a few. I found their mission quite interesting, especially the final paragraph: "Our operational mission is to promote the American Way and defend it from attack, to build and nurture communities of support for our values, and to equip those communities to promote progressive policies, elect progressive candidates, and hold public officials accountable." It seems that this organization tends to be a little more involved in politics than some of the others I have viewed.Conservative Approach to Collection Development
- American Family Association – http://www.afa.net
This organization is a Christian ministy which is pro-family and its goal is to promote morality in American culture. It is very much based on Christian faith. I found it quite humorous that its number one goal is to "restrain evil by exposing the works of darkness." (The very negative wording caught me off guard throughout the site.) I was surprised to find out that the organization operates over 200 radio stations throughout the United States and to see its promotion of the boycott of Home Depot in a variety of spots on its site.- ClassKC.org - http://www.classkc.org/index.html
This organization of parents stricly focuses on the promotion of "literary standards in schools." The front page of the site focuses on portraying literature as very negative and vulgar. There is a list of poor literary choices, but it does not offer alternatives. It does seem to be an older site that isn't maintained (copyright 2004/2005) and I wonder what the status of this organization is now. I did find this key statement on the "About Us" page: "No one knows or loves your child quite as much as you do. Being informed about this content helps you to make the best educational decisions for your own child." I think this is an action that all parents need to take and be proactive in their child's education and choices, teaching the children how to make good choices for themselves.- The Eagle Forum – http://www.eagleforum.org
Again, this is a pro-family website. This organization seems to be very involved in making changes through legistlation. Much of the informaiton seems to be based on Phyllis Schlafly's beliefs and ideas. I found the emphasis on a woman as a homemaker as appalling. I highly commend those who make this their full time profession, but that doesn't mean that the rest of us aren't doing honorable things by choosing a profession outside of the home.- Focus on the Family – http://www.family.org
Another organization based on Chrisitan faith. I was familiar with this organization and figuring out where it goes on the spectrum did not surprise me at all. The entire site is pro-family and stresses strong morals. It was not nearly as negative as some other sites, but instead it promotoed Christian faith and morals. While I was searching the site to see if it had any specifics on censorship, I ran across a series of articles under the "Schooling" heading entitled "Help Your Child Succeed in Public School." Right away I was put on the defensive about that. I do have a Christian faith, but I also feel that the way the article was titled greatly puts down the public education system.- Parents Protecting the Minds of Children - http://www.teachclean.com/
The url for this site (www.teachclean.com) says a lot. This Web site did not look professional in any way, shape or form. I clicked on "What's in the Books?" and was taken to a page where the heading states "School Library Porn in Arkansas." I found lots of excerpts from books and the description on all of them was "SHOCKING." I did find a disclaimer on the front page that states, "Our objective is not to remove any books from the library, it is simply to enforce our parental rights to choose for our children." This seems to contradict the informaiton I saw on the other pages.- PABBIS - http://www.pabbis.com/whattodo.html
One thing that I found on a PowerPoint after digging (quite a bit) into this website was that this organization supports a rating system similar to that for movies and tv shows. This could help students make informed decisions on what they are reading and warn those who are morally against certain types of books. I think that this group might have it right. So many of the other ones go to extremes as far as their action, where at least this group has come up with a minimally intrusive solution. I also think that it is important that this group is trying to balance everyone's rights, not just their own.3. POLICY HIGH POINTS: Following are the selection policies from two school districts that have dealt repeatedly and publicly with citizen’s request issues. Read through the policies and list five important features from each district that strike you as important are points that you want to make sure your district’s policy includes. Tell me briefly why you selected this section to be added to your own policy. (10 points)
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Library Materials Selection Policy #6.15 http://www.fayar.net/images/6.15.pdf
Administration Regulations for Policy #6.15 http://www.fayar.net/images/6.15AR.pdf
Blue Valley, Kansas
Selection of Learning Resources http://www2.bluevalleyk12.org/policies/documents/4600policy.pdf
Administrative Guidelines Policy 4610: Challenges to and Reconsideration of Learning Resources http://www2.bluevalleyk12.org/policies/documents/4610guidelines.pdf
Challenges to and Reconsideration of Learning Resources http://www2.bluevalleyk12.org/policies/documents/4610policy.pdf